For auction houses, estate sales and liquidators
Check Auction Consignments for Stolen Items
Before a lot goes in the catalog, run its serial number, IMEI or VIN through SafeOrStolen. Paste up to 100 numbers from the consignment list into the bulk check and download a CSV with each result, the sources searched and the time of the check. Guns are also searched against police theft reports from 33 states and DC. Items without a serial, like most jewelry and art, need paperwork instead.
2 free checks · No credit card · Updated October 7, 2026
What you can check, lot by lot
| Lot type | Number to collect | What the check searches |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles, motorcycles, trailers | VIN | Year, make, model, open recalls, theft reports, web results; Arizona records for Arizona VINs |
| Phones and tablets | IMEI | Make and model, theft reports, web results; carrier blacklist on paid checks |
| Laptops, cameras, consoles, audio gear | Serial number | Theft reports and web results |
| Power tools, generators, equipment | Serial number on the nameplate | Theft reports and web results |
| Guns | Frame or receiver serial | Also police theft and loss reports from 33 states and DC, live Ohio records, altered-serial flag |
| Bikes and e-bikes | Frame serial under the bottom bracket | Also a national stolen-bicycle registry |
| Jewelry, art, antiques, coins | Usually none | A serial check can't help. Ask for provenance, receipts and photos. |
At intake
- Copy the consignor's photo ID and get a signed statement that they own what they're consigning.
- Read each number off the item, not the box, and write it on the intake sheet next to the lot number.
- Look for scratched-off nameplates, tool engravings with another company's name, rental tags, or a phone still signed in to someone's account.
- Run the list at /bulk-check before photography and cataloging, so a flagged lot never gets listed.
- Keep the results CSV with the consignment agreement.
Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(k)) makes it a crime to possess a gun whose serial number has been obliterated. Don't accept one, and call your local police.
Common questions from auction houses
How do auction houses check consignments for stolen items?
Record each consignor's ID, collect the serial number, IMEI or VIN of every lot that has one, and run the list through a stolen check before the catalog goes out. On SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/for-auction-houses), paste up to 100 numbers at /bulk-check and download a CSV with each result, the sources searched and the time of the check.
Can I check a whole consignment list at once?
Up to 100 items per run. Put one number per line in a .csv or .txt file, with an optional type and a note such as the lot number: 1HGBH41JXMN109186, vehicle, lot 212. Upload it at /bulk-check. For a longer sale, split the list and run it in parts. Each item uses one check, so the $10 monthly plan is the one built for this.
What happens if a consigned item comes back reported stolen?
Pull the lot from the sale and don't hand it back to the consignor yet. Keep the consignment paperwork and the check result, and call your local police non-emergency line. A "possible match" is weaker: a source mentions a similar number, so open the result and compare before you act.
Can we show bidders that lots were checked?
Yes, lot by lot. A $1.99 verification certificate, free on the monthly plan, gives a dated record with its own link showing the result and the sources searched, with only the last four characters of the number visible. You can add that link to the lot description. There are no catalog badges or branded reports.
Does a clean result mean a lot is not stolen?
No. "No report found in the records searched" means no theft report turned up in those sources on that date. Many thefts are never reported anywhere public, and SafeOrStolen does not search NCIC, pawn reporting systems or DMV records. It is one check alongside the consignor's ID, paperwork and your own judgment.
Check the next sale's lots
2 free checks, then $0.99 per check or $10 a month unlimited. For more on checking at other businesses see SafeOrStolen for businesses. Questions: safeorstolenmail@gmail.com.